LAS VEGAS – Chris Daukaus is making a significant change to his career this week, but he doesn’t think it will impact one of his most important traits.
Daukaus started his UFC run with four straight knockouts at heavyweight. But once he got put in with the next level of competition in late 2021, things haven’t gone his way. Daukaus has lost three straight fights, all by knockout, to Derrick Lewis, Curtis Blaydes and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.
Mired in that rut, Daukaus (12-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC) will try to bounce back when he takes on Khalil Rountree (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) at light heavyweight on the UFC on ESPN 51 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Their fight airs on ESPN.
“The first move down to 205 (thought) was probably when I first ran into my first real heavyweight at the UFC level when I’ve seen them like just passing through. After the Derek Lewis fight, I was like, ‘All right, this needs to change,'” Daukaus said at Thursday’s UFC on ESPN 51 media day in Las Vegas. “(I have) no regrets (about the timing). I’m doing everything full tilt. I don’t care. This is how I’m living my life. This is the way – I wouldn’t want my life any other way.
“The weight cut has) been fine. (I’m) not eating sh*t anymore – not eating pizza, cheese steaks, all that stuff. For the most part, it’s just whole foods, making sure I get everything in my meals so I don’t have to supplement anything – making everything at home, cooking for the family, stuff like that. I very rarely eat out anymore or do anything like that.”
Daukaus’ first heavyweight fight in the UFC, he was 241 pounds. Then he dropped to 227. But the past few fights, he’s hovered in the mid-240s on weigh-in day. And that’s a far cry from 205.
But Daukaus said he’s not worried about the power that served him so well his first four UFC bouts being impacted by his move from heavyweight to 205 pounds.
“Realistically, I was just a fat 205er. If I want to be super serious, I’ve been talking to some people who said I could probably make ’85 – but I’m not going to. … These guys are huge (at heavyweight). … My power has not been compromised in one bit. You can ask any of my training partners right now, the guys in the back, ask them. I don’t feel like my power has been compromised in one little bit. My speed has grown, which is a little scary. But other than that, I feel like my technique, everything is right there. I’m ready to go.”
Check out Daukaus’ full interview in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.
